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Autism is not caused by the vaccination of children. Dr. Andrew Wakefield (1998) of England the doctor/researcher that original stated that the MMR shot increased the likelihood of a child developing autism was misquoted. In the documented case study he produced he stated it is best to separate the shot into three individual doses instead of just all third at one time. At no point in the case study did he state you should vaccinate you children.There have been 100s case studies conducted after his study that have failed to produce the same result as Dr.Wakefield’s study which provides evidence this research methods were faulty. The reason Autism is typical diagnosed during the process vaccination is because the period in which a child is starting to develop motor skill and more complex thinking. And typical there are sign of autism early on. The other reason for the increase of autism is because the symptoms and more wide known today then 20 or even 10 years ago. I agree do your own research. And take your child to be tested if you are worried about his development.

There are plenty of studies and actual cases (including my nephew) proving the connection between autism, allergies, asthma and vaccines. Believe whatever you want... but the facts are there. Not going to argue. Cheyenne should do her own research and not blindly accept anyone's advice. www.thinktwice.com She should read books by Neil Z. Miller and Dr. Mayer Eisenstein first... then make an informed decision. Boldly claiming that vaccines (which are chock full of formaldehyde, mercury, and viruses grown on chicken embryos) are safe, could endangered the life if Cheyenne's little boy.

I would watch for eye contact and how he responds to you. If he looks your way when you call his name that's a good sign. If he makes eye contact with you that's a good sign. If he brings things to show you or likes you to play with him I think those are good signs. I agree that the best thing to do is to start the evaluation process. In some states there are organizations, agencies, that will test children under 5 for free. Over 5 it is usually the school dsitrict's job. Start the evaluation process. He could have language delay and NOT have autism, either way he would benefit from early intervention for language delay. Wishing you the best.

If your mommy senses are telling you there is something wrong, go get him tested. We are going through the diagnosis path now and I wish I had done something earlier. Go talk to your GP.Get his hearing checked ASAPSee a speech therapist It is a very long path so the earlier you start the soon you can get some answers so you can help your boy.PS Developmental peads take 6 months to get an appointment. These are the doctors who you need to see regarding autism

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Jodi - posted on 08/23/2011

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I guess I must also question why YOUR opinion is any more valid than mine. You are ALSO wasting your time arguing with intelligent individuals who have clearly done exhaustive research and come to their own conclusions.

@Jodi: Why are you wasting your time arguing with intelligent individuals who have clearly done exhaustive research and come to their own conclusions? You're certainly not going to change their minds nor are you going to discredit them. The louder and more persistent one is about putting down others is the one left looking the most foolish. Are you worried that Cheyenne might do her own research and become her son's best advocate being well armed with information and the right questions? Or are you just simply looking for a platform to vent vulgarity or be argumentative? Crass language shows such a lack of thoughtful or intellegent communication skills. I'm almost certain that Cheyenne will be able to do what is best for her son. Let's keep the conversation focused on helping Cheyenne.

Hallmarks of autism are deficits in social interaction, deficits in communication, and repetitive behaviors. The autistic child may appear not to know how to play and not engage in the give-and-take of normal social interaction or be able to play pretend games. An autistic child may not, for instance, pretend to feed a doll or role-play with action figures or other toys.

Autistic children may speak very little, or not at all, or fail to meet developmental guidelines for language acquisition and use. The child may appear to be in his “own world” or appear not to be listening when spoken to. Babies who are not responding to their own names by around age 1 may be exhibiting a symptom of autism.

Repetitive behaviors like touching objects or repetitive gestures may be present in the autistic child. Autistic children may have limited interests and an inability to determine when their interest is not shared by others. For instance, an autistic child may know a great deal about airplanes but very little else, and talk continuously about airplanes to the exclusion of other topics even when his audience is clearly not interested.

To those using extremely biased sites backed with little to no facts ( including those who are still using wakefields "research" which was found to have been falsified : First of all no one knows what causes Autism , secondly ( and obviously) Vaccinations have never been proven to cause Autism and although there is anacdotal correlation it is hardly substatiated. Many children exhibit small signs that go unnoticed in the first year of life , Autism is known to "worsen" for lack of a better word around that age reguardless of vaccinations while it is easier for some to use vaccinations as something to blame lets not use unbacked opinions to fearmonger people out of vaccination for fear of something no one understands.

Thank you, Shauna, Page and Fina for sharing your insights. There will always be people who see and believe only what they want to believe. I pray that Cheyenne will take a serious look at vaccines (both sides of the issue) and be fully informed as an advocate for her son. I'm really glad that so many people have brought the matter to her attention. Personal experience definitely counts and the lives of children, who have been devastated by vaccines, matter and should never be discounted.

The Dr Tenpenny whose website is full of all the vitamins she sells, and the homeopathic alternatives, because of course, SHE isn't making money of her unfounded theories. She's a glorified chiropractor.

And the Australian Vaccine Network, which is actually an anti-vaccine organisation and will of course provide anti vaccine information. Many of their claims are unfounded, but because of their name, they are under the guise of a genuinely impartial organisation. There is no medical advice on that site, and they are not permitted to disperse such information.

Vaccination DOES cause Autism - It has been proven - it is just covered up. Autism has increased since more and more vaccines were added to the immunisation list. Do your research - www.avn.org.au, www.drtenpenny.com, www.drmercola.com. The truth is out there. Not all doctors tell the truth - there is alot of money in vaccines!!!

Personal experience does not amount to cause. Correlation does not equal cause. Neither are based on scientific studies. My point is that there IS no evidence that vaccines cause autism, and I think that continuing to tell people that it DOES cause autism is irresponsible, to say the least. I see no problem if you want to say YOU believe it does in YOUR opinion, but don't quote it as *fact* and claim *evidence*, because there is nothing to back you up.

@Jodi, I am sorry that you are so sure about what doesn't cause autism. If your child had regressed after vaccines, you may not feel the same way. Let's try to be respectful of each others opinions. shall we?

That is definately not too early to tell, two is classically when children are diagnosed. Some are diagnosed even earllier, as early as six months. Regression in skills is a great concern to talk to a Dr.

I agree with Katherine, vaccinating has nothing to do with Autism, it just seems that it does because the age the signs become more apparent is around the time they recieve the majority of their vaccinations. Not vaccinating your child puts them at risk and other children at risk they come in contact with for communicable diseases. Cheyenne your son seems to have some classic signs of Autism but as Joanna said it could be other things. I taught early childhood special ed for eight years and my son has Autism also. But some of the things you mentioned like his eye movement and sensitivity to certain textures, sounds and light could be a visual impairment. I suggest mentioning your concerns with his Dr. something is going on with him and early intervention to learn ways to teach him and ensure progress is the best for children with developemental delays.

My son was diagnosed with autism and I had concerns around the same age - 17 to 18 months. Talk to your pediatrician and get referrals to the Early Intervention centers in your area. The vaccination debate is pointless. What's important is taking care of your son.

Hi We thought my son had autism when he was that age but he didn't. He was having trouble b/c he had fluid in his ears he has had tubes 3 times noe and and is improviving he is behind other kids his age. You should talk to your doctor and get on the wait list for Kidsability all you have to do is call them and refer your son. You can see if you can get on the wait list for accessments. There is Speech/OT and physio. My 3 yr old is there for speech and my 18mth old is there for speech/ot and physio. If you have any questions about Kidsability please email me at twillagingras@yahoo.ca

Jodi, Wakefield did not falsify any of the data. It was a sound study that met all of the scientific protocol. He was asked to recall it because they had other studies that showed opposite results. He refused to recall the study. I am getting my Masters in Public Health and we just had a discussion on this in class. My professor who gave me this info is pro-vaccine, works for WHO in Switzerland and has helped to develop several vaccines.

Jesus, where do people get this shit? Newspapers did NOT bring down Andrew Wakefield. Andrew Wakefield FALSIFIED the data in his study.

And Page, what evidence, pray tell? There isn't a single scientific study out there that is evidence of the link with autism. Please, if you are going to spout this stuff, at least have the decency to back yourself up with something other than your personal opinion and other than propoganda websites.

Anyway, this is not a debate about whether vaccines cause autism, it is a discussion to help Cheyenne in identifying if her son has autism or not.

Definitely stop vaccinating him. The Pharma industry has gone to great lengths to "disprove" the connection by rewarding doctors who ask as their mouthpieces. The newspaper that brought down Andrew Wakefield is run by a board member of Glaxo Smith Kline. My son regressed after vaccination, but has nearly recovered with supplements and avoidance of further immune system assaults like shots. NaturalNews has the flip side of the vaccine safety debate which I urge you to consider. I am grateful I did.

Do some research on the vaccines. I have seen kids that it was obvious from birth something was not quite right. But I have also heard of kids who were perfectly normal and after a set of vaccines, they regressed and started showing signs of autism. I don't believe vaccines are the only instigator in autism or that every child will be autistic due to the vaccines, however, there is too much evidence to say that there is no link. I hope your child does well no matter what. God bless you.

Has you son done of his normal crawling or babel or any of the milestones on time or is he delayed ; another resource is the website www.autismspeaks.org is the best resource that I have found. Is there a family history of Autism or Autism spectrum disorder in your family?

Call your local school district and ask them to refer you to the regional center in your area. Most states have them and they work with early infant and toddler development for children 0 to 3 years. They will evaluate your child so you don't have to guess, they can also offer you services to help educate both you and your child. You can also talk to your pediatrician, most insurances will cover testing as well. Don't guess, early intervention is the best way to support your child.

I have a friend whose son has autism, but he wasn't diagnosed until he was 2 or 3 years of age. I also have two women friends whose job it is to work individually with autistic children within the school. As a substitute teacher in the public school system I have had autistic children in classes.

From my point of view you should research autism online. Make an appointment to speak with your pediatrician and ask at what age is it best to test for autism.

The worst thing you can do for yourself is to get into a state of "worry". Seek answers from the best sources and you will find the answers you need.

No one can say that vaccines do or do not cause autism. It's not that it is bringing it to the surface, I don't know where you got that from. It is that the vaccine aggrivates it. Check the CDC website from the World Health Organization. They have a list of who should not be vaccinated. Vaccines have not been shown to cause autism and are safe for most people but they are not w/o risks. Go to professional sources, such as those who make the vaccines and check out the testing results on each one. Center For Disease Control is the best source.

My son's oldest brother at age 3 was placed on the spectrum of Autism. But your child doesn't sound anything like he was. He sounds like the lights might be hurting his eyes so he is yelling at them for it. Eye check maybe?? My sister had trouble with bright lights they gave her great headaches. And verbally everybody is different. I know a kid who didn't talk because he didn't want to until he was almost three but when he finally spoke he language was perfect no child like slur.

Check with your doctor. If anything your child may just be developmentally delayed. And as vaccinating and it causing Autism it doesn't. It helps the Autism come out more. Your born with it and the vaccinating helps move it to the surface of the child, meaning now you will see the symptoms; they are no longer hiding.

There are many markers and signs to look for and 18 months is the perfect age to start the screening process. How many times do you have to call his name before he turns his head to look at you? Does he shake or flap his hands? How is his speech development? Does he have any obsessions? (Is he fascinated by abstract things like lines or circles?) Has he had any other health problems? Will he eat a variety of foods and try new foods? Does he stare off into space? Throw temper tantrums more than once a day or bang his head against the wall? Does he point to objects to show you things or pull your hand to show you things? Your health department should have a division called Children w/ Special Needs that offers a comprehension screening process in which your child would meet with a specialized pediatrician, a neurologist, a psychologist, occupational therapist, etc. As well as rule out any vision or hearing issues. If he does have autism there is so much you can do early on that will make a huge difference in his future. I have three children on the autism spectrum.

Its upsetting to see so many telling you things that are not true. My biggest suggestion is to call Early Intervention and get an evaluation. If you need a referral, talk to your pediatric doctor. and always follow your instincts.My son is going to be 3 in 4mos. Hes has an Autism diagnosis. (yes you can be diagnosed under 4 or 5) He had NO words at 18mos. He made very little eye contact. Those were his only symptoms. NOTHING was caused by vaccines. He developed typically with the exception of talking. He was just very quiet.Every child is different. Every ASD child is even more different.

it is very hard to diagnose a disorder in a young child. before the age of 5 almost all children show signs of autism, learning disorders and behavioral disorders. I know so many people out there say "talk to the pediatrician" this is one time you should. Express your concerns and request an examination. Be sure to include if you were on any medications while you were pregnant. And dont be afraid to keep asking. My 4 y/o was showing signs at 10 months. She has aspergers syndrome - a high functioning form of autism - With special education and hard work. no one could ever tell she woke with night fits for 3 sometimes 4 hours at a time. she would pull her hair and rub her feet raw. I had child protective on my doorstep every months. But she is happy and healthy. be adamant and get your point across!

My son was diagnosed with autism at 2 1/2 years. The signs for him were limited facial expressions, loss of speech, not being able to use gestures. He played with his toys in total silence I must stress that no two ASD children

are the same. There is a criteria that has to be met before your child is given the diagnosis. If you could let me know what kinds of signs he is displaying it would help. But I think that the best thing you could do is seek medical help either through a Dr or your Paediatrician.

If you are concerned talk to your Dr. If he is showing any signs and is developmentally delayed have him tested. You may want to see about at least getting a speech evaluation early on. They would be able to tell you if there is any red flags. Good luck!!!

My friends son showed signs of something not being right from birth. The pediatrician kept saying nothing was wrong. Her mother's intuition told her something was wrong. He was finally diagnosed at age 6 with Aspergers syndrome (a high functioning austism) at age 6. If you feel something is not right, do NOT give up. Keep pushing. Early intervention is important. Also, I agree with the connection. Do some on line research. Autism Speaks is a good starting point. Good Luck.And remember, if you get a diagnosis, he is still the same little boy that he was before the diagnosis.

Autism is a spectrum disorder and all the children suspected to be autistic will show different characteristics but the common ones are inability to speak i.e poor receptive and expressive skills, poor eye contact, flapping of hands, poor or deficit attention, hyperactivity, hates to be hugged or cuddled

my child now 17 has autism intellectual impairment and a lot of other medical issues, however you can not see autism like other conditions such as downs if you are concerned, take your child to the doctor explain your worrys and ask to be sent to a pediatrican, the earlier you have your child access the earlier you get get help and while there is no cure the severity is different with each child and therefore the help required is also varied, there are many signs and at 18 months old the sooner he/you get help the better good luck and point of interest I would never change my son for any thing in this world he has taught me so much and he is very special and very much loved by us all and I am so proud of all he has done and the person he is, if your son does have autism I hope he can teach you what my son has taught me

@Cassandra: No one is using Cheyenne's question as a a platform for arguments. Circle of Moms is a forum for moms to share stories, advice, suggestions, and information. I specifically answered Cheyenne's question in my first response and added pertinent information to help her in her research. Cheyenne can sift through all the responses and glean the helpful information as well as set aside the what she deems as not helpful. It's not your job, or anyone else's job, to ridicule what others have shared from their personal experience. I have no agenda... just sharing information that I wish others had shared with me BEFORE my son and nephew experienced adverse reactions to vaccines which directly resulted in Autism, Allergies, and Asthma. As I have stated before, NO ONE here can definitively state what causes or doesn't cause Autism. There is a lot to research. Hopefully every mom has the opportunity to research what is best for their child through having access to all the pertinent information. Please consider focusing on what is helpful to Cheyenne as well as what is positive, encouraging and respectful of what others have offered in response to Cheyenne's request. And, by the way, "rediculous" is correctly spelled RIDICULOUS.

is he social with other children? does he have speech problems. Best off would be to go to your GP/ doctor, and they can tell you, if they cant then ask for a referral to see a specialist. here is a website you can try: http://www.autismawareness.com.au/index....my son is 8 and I knew he was not developing the same as other children his age. My son had early intervention - speech therapy, Occupational therapy, physiotherapy. My son is still int he process of being diagnosed with ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder - and he is 8

If you think you see signs talk to your pediatrician and or go to your local early intervention place. Im sure your ped can refer you to somewhere. My ped thought our son was showing signs of Autism so we started therapy (speech and OT) he is now 28 months and showing almost no signs and Autism was ruled out by a pshycologist. trust your instinct!

not true SOME children are affected by shots. I dont know why some still believe this stuff...They have proven no such thing. My child well children have autism and one of them was very affected by shots. The other I'm not sure about. I am not against shots though I just believe they should be done SMARTER. I do not usually put in my 2 cents about this issue unless speaking on it. I like to stand in the middle and let people know a smart way to get their kiddoes vaccinating in case they have a predisposition to ....what we call AUTISM. You know if their immune system is all ready comprimized and than we shoot a disease into their little bodies. (Sorry for my 2 cents a bad week w. autism)

As a psychotherapist I have worked with children as young as three. Developmental milestones are generally very delayed. Intimate eye contact is very difficult for your toddler to maintain. Speech, of any kind can be delayed. The child may be more into him or herself. Maybe rocking with self stimulating behavior. I have a special needs chapter in my new parenting book geared more for tweens and teens, but you may find it helpful. An evaluation by a pediatric neurologist can be very helpful at this point.Good Luck and in your corner!Arden

Look up the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers test or CHAT. My autistic son couldn't do any of those things at 18 months or 3 years, but both of his neurotypical sisters could do everything on it at 18 months. The problem with autism is that most toddlers have autistic behaviors but they grow out of them. Even a non-autistic toddler may flap or squeal or have slow language development. Most doctors will not diagnose at 18 months because of this. You could also talk to your pediatrician or if you're in the US, your county Child Find office. The local school district can refer you. It's possible that your son could benefit from speech therapy if he is genuinely behind. As I recall, you're looking for 3 word sentences by age 2. My son did it just in time for his second birthday, then lost the skill. Lost skills are not normal and if your son has done that, it is a definite red flag that some kind of developmental delay is occurring. Best wishes.

My 18 month old was born with health problems, spent his first 7 months of life on supplemental oxygen and also has GI problems. He didn't start walking until just this past month, he started crawling the month before that and he still doesn't have the vocabulary that a child his age is suggested to have developed. His ped. finally listened to my concerns ( his brothers all were walking and talking early on ) and sent him for evaluation. He was found to have a 40% delay in his adaptive skills area and is now getting therapy through our state's early intervention system. Do your research, bug your ped. until he/she takes you serious and have your child evaluated. Even though my son doesn't have autism, any type of early intervention will help with developmental delays and the research I have done states that therapy also helps children in tremendous ways who have autism or a spectrum of autism. A mommy knows deep down if something is wrong with her child and it's your job to be a voice for your child. Even if it's to quiet your MIL and show her nothing is wrong with your sweet child, do it! At least in the end you'll know and have peace of mind!

My 3-year was just diagnosed with ASD. There were signs very early on and I went with my gut feelings and got the process started. I am not sure where you live but it took over a year to see a developmental pediatrian. It is best to get started early. I say get on the wait list. If all of the areas you are concerned about with you child's development suddenly improve, you can always cancel the appointment. Call your family doctor and get a referral. See a language pathologist for tips about communicating with your child. There may be programs at a parent and child drop in centre that may give some guidance and strategies.. Look at reputable online sources regarding autism. Good luck.

My heart goes out to you because I have a child with a seizure disorder and some autistic tendencies. Everyone loves to give their opinions. The first thing you have to realize is that you are his mother and in your heart you know if there is something going on with him. That being said, I would definitly start with the pediatrician. Now, if the pediatrician isnt dealing with the situation the way you like. Find another one. I knew something was wrong with my baby and my pediatrician kept blowing me off with lame excuses. I finally went to the er at a local childrens hospital. Your son is only 18 months and cannot talk for himself so you have to be his advocate. I wouldnt jump to self diagnose. That can be really scary. Just start with the doctor and take things in stride. When and if you are diagnosed, thats when you start reading anything and everything on your diagnosis. Please keep us updated. I will be praying that everything is all right.

I think it s extremely REDICULOUS that some of you are using this womans questions and plea for some help as a sounding borad and a forum for arguments!! She DID NOT ask if Autism was linked to Vaccines, nor did she ask if autism was caused by fragile x syndrom or any of the other things that have been argued... she asked for what she should look for!

yes my son has autism & global development delay each child is diffrent you are best to go see a developmental peditritian it may help to have detailed notes of why you are concerned my son does not line up toys or walk on his tip toes. Good luck hopefully it all works out & you get the answers you seek.